Railway signaling apparatus



N0V- l, 1932 D. w. RICHARDS RAILWAY SIGNALING APPARATUS Filed April 9,'1931 INVENTOR. D, W. RL'C/hardg/ BY @Gl/)M #vla ATTORNEY.

./n 7 3, isi@ 1111 l IIIII NOV. l, 1932. D'. W R|CHARD5 1,885,947

RAILWAY SLGNALING APPARATUS Filed April 9, 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet 2NVENTOR. 7DA VV. R x'ahnrd- #La ATTORNEY.

Noir. 1, 1932. f D. RICHARDS RAILWAY SIGNALING APPARATUS Filed April 9,1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 'ya 1 ya l :7a L@ I f' '2 fw 47 /T 56 fR "R i0 m TX48; 50 55 JP V50 5/5 Y V L81 62./ 51 i'5o Y 512.54 X L68 XHD X X, 51 51Y 65 CY #il X 49a Lf 50 S- i 49 4Q L f6.2

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R/ha/ds/ BY #La ATTORNEY.

Nov. l, 1932.

D. W. RICHARDS RAILWAY SIGNALING APPARATUS Filed April 9, 1931 4Sheets-Sheet 4 1N VEN TOR.

#f4 ATTORNEY.

Patented Nov. 1, 1932 .arr asics' DANIEL W. RICHARDS, OF'ROANOKE,VIRGINIA RAiLWAY srGNAmNG APPARATUS Application filed April 9,'

My'invention. relates to railway signaling apparatus..

I, will describe-certain forms of apparatus embodying `my'invention,andwill then point out the novel features thereof iny claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 is a View showingin verticalsection, one form of relay embodying my invention, and Fig. 2 is a topplanl view with top plate removed of the relay'shown in; Fig. 1. Fig. 3is a sectional view showing the auxiliary contact mechanism forming partof the relay illustratedI in Figs; 1 and`2. Fig.. l is a diagrammaticview showing'one form of railway signaling'system embodyingy myinvention and:` employing the relay showny in Figs. 1 and 2. Fig: 5'is'adiagrammatic view showing `anotherformvof railway signaling systemembodying my invention and employing the relay illustrated in Figs. `1and 2..

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts in all live-views',

Referring firstv to' Figs. 1 and"`2,.the reference character Rdesignates a relay which, in the form here shown, comprises abase plateV1 and a top plate 2 spaced apart by glass sides 3. Attached to the baseplate 1 are two upstandingposts 4 and' 5v provided with trunnion'screwsand 7 respectively, and mounted for rotationv in these trunnion screwsis a shaft 14 carrying a vane 8 of suitableelectroconductive materialsuch asaluminum.

The vane 8y is .controlled by a C-shaped laminatedxiron yoke or core 9supported on, and secured to, bosses 10 whichy are formed integral withthe base plate 1'. The core 9 is provided with an energizing winding 11constructed in two sections located on opposite sides, respectively, ofithe air gap in the core. -These two winding sections are connected inseries, and the leads 12 from the winding'are, in turn, connectedtotwobinding posts: mounted on the top plate-2.y Each pole of the coreS" isprovided with the usual ferrule 46 of copper or otherelectro-conductingmaterial (Figg 1)' partially enclosing the pole face to produce alshifting magnetic field whenthe-winding is supplied with alternatingcurrent.

A pinl gear. 13, carried by the shaft 14, is

1931. Serial No. 528,865.

` gear 16. The clutch mechanism 15 may be of any suitable type and, ashere shown, is similar to that described in Letters Patent of the f'United States, No. 1,627,322, granted to Robert M. Gilson on May 3rd,1927, for electrical relays. The segment gear 16 is supported on, and isfastened to, a counter-shaft 17 which is j ournalled in trunnion screws1S and 19 carried by posts 2O formed integral with the base plate 1.TheA four trunnion screws 6, 7 18 and 19 are provided with lock nuts 6,7a, 18a, and 19a, respectively,.to maintain them in permanentadjustment.

A crank 21 is alsolixed to the counter-shaft 17 and to the segment gear16, and this crank is formed with two lips 2-1 which are pivotallyconnected with the lower end of a link. 25. The upper end of the link 25is pivotally attached'to the free end of a substantially horizontal arm26 forming part of a contact carrying rocker 27. The contact carryingrocker 27 is mounted to swing in bearing screws 28 carried by brackets29 which are fastened to the top plate 2, and the rocker is providedwith a plurality of flexible contact. fingers only two of which, 30 and81 are shown in Fig. 1'. rlhese Contact' fingers cooperate with twofixed contacts 30a and 31, respectively, to close a. front contactE30-30a or a back contact 31m-31:L as will be explained hereinafter. Thefixed. contacts 3()at and 31 are secured to the top plate 2 by means ofterminal posts 30h and 31h, respectively.

Also formed on the crank 21 is a stud 22 into which is screwed acounter-weight rod 23. The counter-weight rod` 23' is provided with twocounter-weights 23a which are adjustable on the rod, and which togetherwith the segment gear 16 bias the crank 21, and hence the rocker 27, tothe position in which the front contact 30--30a is open and the backcontact 31-31a is closed, as shown in the drawings.

The relay` also comprises a Xiliary contact mechanism which, as bestseen in Fig. 3, comprisesI two flexible contact fingers 34 and 35 imounted on an insulating block 36. The in- `'sulatincf block 36 in turn,is attached to a framework A which is secured to the post 5 and one ofthe posts by means of the trunnion screws 7 and 18 and their associatedlock nuts 7a and 18a. Mounted in the framework A directly above thecontact lingers 34 and 35 is a fixed bolt 37, and pivotally supported onthis bolt is a crank 38. One arm 38a of the crank 38 extends downwardlyadjacent the contact fingers 34 and 35, and is provided with aninsulating roller 45 which cooperates with the contact finger 34 to attimes move this finger into engagement with the contact finger 35 toclose a contact 34--35 as will be described hereinafter. The other arm38b of the crank 38 extends through the opening 16c in the segment gear16, and is adapted to cooperate with the radial arms 16* and 16b of thesegment gear in a manner which will also be described hereinafter.

A metal washer 39 is fastened to the bolt 37 adjacent one side of thecrank 38 by means of a cotter key 40, and interposed between this washerand the crank is a friction disc 41. A second friction disc 42 is alsolocated on the bolt 37 on the opposite side of the crank from the disc41. The discs 41 and 42 are free to turn on the bolt 37, but thecombination of the crank and friction discs is held in close contactwith the fixed washer 39 by the pressure exerted by a coil spring 44 ona metal washer 43 which is loosely mounted on the bolt 39 adjacent thedisc 42, the spring 4l being supported on the bolt 39 between the frameand the washer 43 as best seen in Figs. 1 and 2.

The operation of the relay as a whole is as follows: When winding 11 isdeenergized, no torque is exerted on the vane, and under theseconditions, the segment gear 16 is held in its lowermost position inwhich it is illustrated in the drawing, due to its own weight and to thecombined weight of the counterweight rod 23 and the counter-weights 23".When the segment gear occupies this position, back contact 31--31'L isclosed and front contact {5G-30 is opened. Furthermore, when the segmentgear occupies this position, the lower edge of the upper radial arm 16'*of the segment gear 16 engages the arm 38b of the crank 38 and holdsthis crank in the position in which it is illust-rated in Fig. 3, sothat contact 34-35 is open.

When alternating current of the proper value is supplied to winding 11,the vane 8 is rotated by induction motor action in a clockwisedirection, as viewed in Fig. 1, thereby causing the pinion 13 to drivethe segment gear 16 in a counter-clockwise direction. This motion,communicated to the rocker 27 opens the back contact 31---31t and closesthe front contact 30-30 Furthermore, shortly before the segment gear 16reaches the upper end of its stroke, the upf 38 and rotates this crankto a position in which the contact finger 34 is moved into engagementwith the contact finger 35 by the insulating roller 45, thereby closingthe contact 34-35. The motion of the segment gear after the frontcontact 30--30Zt has become closed, and until the segment gear clip 16dengages the stop 32, causes the tip of the front contact finger 30 toslide upon the fixed contactmember 30.

As long as the motor device remains energized, the parts are held in thepositions just described against the torque exerted by the se ent gearand by the counter-weights 23a. hen the motor device becomesdeenergized, however, this torque actsto return the segment gear to itsoriginal position. As soon as the segment gear starts to return, thelower radial arm 16b of the segment gear moves out of engagement withthe arm 38b of the crank 38, but the crank continues to hold contact34-35 closed under these conditions due to the friction between thecrank, the friction discs and the fixed washer 39. About midway of thedownward movement of the segment gear, front contact 30-30a opens andback contact 31-31a closes, and when the segment gear has descendedalmost to its lowermost position, the upper radial arm 16il of thesegment gear engages the arm 38b of the crank 38 and moves the crank tothe position in which the roller is out of engagement with the contactfinger 34, thereby permitting contact 34-35 to open. When the segmentgear reaches its lowermost position, the clip 16e strikes the stop 33thereby preventing further movement ofthe segment gear. It will be seenthat due. to the inertia of the moving parts and the comparatively largedistance the segment gear 16 must move before the front contact isopened and the back contact is closed, a considerable interval of timeelapses after deenergization of winding 11 before this contact operationoccurs. The duration of this time interval may be regulated by the sizeof the counter-weights 23 and by their distance from the center of theshaft, which distance may be varied by screwing them up and down on thecounter-weight rod 23.

It will be apparent, therefore, that with the relay constructed in themanner just described, when the relay becomes energized, the contact34-35 does not become closed until after the back contact of the relayhas become opened and the front contact has become closed: and that,when the relay becomes deenergized. the contact 34.-35 remains closeduntil after the front contact has become opened and the back contact hasbecome closed. It will be readily understood, therefore, that thecontact 34-35 of Athis relay operates in the same manner with respect tothe front and back contacts of the relay as the front contacts of a slowacting relay would operate ir" the slov:l acting relay were controlledby the front Contact of this relay, thereby enabling this relay toperform. the same functions under certain conditions as have heretoforebeen performed by two relays.

. Referring new to Fig. il, thereference characters i6 and 46a designatethe track rails of a: stre-tch of railway track over which traflicnormally moves in `both directions, rllhesc track rails are divided bymeans of insulated joints a into a plurality of successive tracksections, only two of which B-C andV C-D are illustrated in thedrawings. rlDrack section B-C is provided with a track circuitcomprising a track relay R1 connected across the rails adjacent theright-hand endV of the section anda suitable source of current connectedacross they-rails adjacent the left-hand end of the section; and sectionC-D is provided with a similar track circuit comprising a trackrelay R2connected across the rails of the section adjacent the left-hand end ofthe section, and a. source of track circuit current connected across therails adjacent the righthand end of the sectio-n. As here shown, thesource of track circuit current for each track section is a transformerT, the primary l? of which is connected with the rails, and thesecondary 48 of which is supplied with current from the terminals X andY of a sui"- able source not shown in the drawings. The track relays R1and R2 are similar to the relay R previously described in connneetionwith Figs. 1,2 and 3.

Located at point D is a signal FD for governing westbound traffic oversection Cul), that is to say, trai'iic moving from right to left overthis section, and located at point C is a similar signal FD forgoverning westbound trafic over section B-C- rlhe signals FD and FD, inthe form here shown, are light signals, and each comprises two lamps Gand R which indicate proceed and stop, respectively, when illuminated.

SignalfF D is controlled by a home relay HD. l/Vhen home relay HD isenergized, a circuit is completed for lamp G of this signal which passesfrom terminal X through front contact iQ-49a of relay HD, wire 50, andthe filament of lamp G to terminal Y. W'hen this circuit is closed, lampG is lighted, and signal F D therefore indicates proceed. `When homerelay HD is deeuergized, a circuit is then completed for lamp R ofsignal FD which circuit passes from terminal X through back contact49-l9b of relay HD, wire 62, and the filament of lamp R to terminal Y.lllhen this latter circuit is closed, lamp R is lighted and signal FDtherefore indicates stop. It will be apparent, therefore, that signal FDwill indicate proceed or stop according as relay HD is energized ordeenergized. Signal FD is controlled by a relay HD in the same manner asthe signal F D is controlled by relay HD.

Relay HD is provided with a pick-up circuit which passes from terminal Xthrough front contact 5l of relay HD, wire 52, front contact 3O3OL oftrack relay R2, wire 53, and the winding of relay HD to terminal Y.Relay HD is also provided with another circuit which passes fromterminal X through front contact 54 of a stick relay S, wires 55 and5:2, front contact @EO-30'a of track relay R2, wire 5S, and the Windingof rela-y HD to terminal Y. lt will be apparent, therefore, that whentrack relay R2 is deenergized relay HD will be deenergized but that whenrelay R2 is energized, relay HD will be energized provided relay HC orrelay S is then energized.

Stick relay S is provided Vith a pick-up circuit which casses fromterminal X through back contact ll-3l of track relay R1, wire 56,auxiliary Contact Sil-35 of relay R2, wire 5'?, back contact 3l-3la oftrack relay R2, and the winding of stick relay S to terminal Y. Relay Sis also provided with a stick circuit which passes from terminal Xthrough back contact 59 of relay HD, wire 60, front Contact 6l of relayS, wire G3, and the winding of relay S to terminal Y.

Relay HD is controlled by front contact 30 80* of relay R1 and bytrail-ic conditions to the left of point B in such manner that thisrelay will be energized except when track relay R1 is deenergized, orwhen track relay l? is energized and the section to the left of sectionB--C is occupied by a train which is approaching section B-C- As shownin the drawings, track sections B-C and C-D are both unoccupied. Trackrelays Rl and R2 are therefore both energized. Relays HD and HD are alsoenergized and signals FD and FD therefore both indicate proceed. Stickrelay S, however, is decnergized, the pick-up circuit for this relaybeing open at back contact ll-31a of track relay R2, and the stickcircuit for this relay being open at both back Contact 59 of relay HCaud at front contact Gl of relay S.

ln explaining the operation of the signaling system shown in Fig. 4 as awhole, l will first assume that with the parts in the positions justdescribed., westbound train traverses the stretch of track shown in thedrawings. Then the train enters section C-D, track relay R2 becomesdeenergized and opens its front contact 23S-30a and closes its backContact l-SF. The opening of front contact lO-30nu interrupts both thepick-up and stick circuits for relay HD, and relal, HD therefore becomesdeenergized, thus causing signal FD to indicate stop. When the trainenters section B-C, track relay R1 becomes deenergized. This, in turn,deenergizes relay HC which causes signal FC to also indicate stop.Furthermore, since relay R1 '15 trated in the drawings.

is similar to the relay R previously described in connection with Figs.1, 2 and 3, it will be apparent, that when relay R1 becomes deenergized,there is a brief interval of time during which its back contact 31--31anand its auxiliary contact 34-35 are both closed, and during thisinterval of time, the pick-u circuit previously traced for stick relay Sis closed at these contacts and at back contact 31-31 of track relay R2.Stick relay S therefore becomes energized and closes its front contacts.Since relay HC is now deenergized, the closing of front contact 61 ofstick relay S completes the stick circuit for this relay, sothat relay Swill now remain energized even though track relay R2 subsequentlybecomes energized due to the train having passed completely out ofsection C-D. As a result, when relay R2 next becomes energized underthese conditions, it completes the circuit for relay HD including frontcontact 54 of stick relay S, and relay HD therefore becomes energized.This causes signal FD to indicate proceed, thereby permitting afollowing train to enter section C-D. l/Vhen the train has passedcompletely out of section BC, track relay Rl becomes energized, and whenthe train has passed completely out of the section to the left to pointB, relay HC becomes energized. The energization of relay HC interruptsthe stick circuit which was previously closed for relay S, and closesthe circuit for relay HD including front contact 51 of relay HC. Stickrelay S therefore now becomes deenergized but relay HD remainsenergized. Furthermore, the energization of relay HC causes signal FC toindicate proceed, thus restoring the parts to the conditions in whichthey are illustrated in the drawings.

I will next assume that the section to the left offsection B-C isoccupied by a train which is approaching section B-C, and that thistrain traverses the stretch oit track illus- Under these conditions,relay HC will be deenergized as previously pointed out and signal FCwill therefore indicate stop. Furthermore, the one circuit previouslytraced for relay HD including front contact 51 of relay HC will then beopen at this contact and the other circuit for relay HD will be open atfront contact 54 of stick relay S, so that relay HD will also bedeenergized. Signal FD will therefore likewise indicate stop. Vhen thetrain enters section B-C, relay R1 becomes deenergzed. This interruptsthe circuit for relay D at the front contact 3U- 301 of relay R1, sothat relay HC will now remain deenergized as long as section B-C isoccupied. Furthermore, the deenergization of track relay R* causescontact 31-31a of this relay to become momentarily closed whileauxiliary contact 234-35 is still closed in the manner previouslydescribed, but since track relay R2 is now energized, the pick-upcircuit for relay S remains open at contact 31--31 under theseconditions, and stick relay S therefore remains deenergized. When thetrain enters section C-D, track relay R2 becomes deenergized. r Thisinterrupts both the pickup and stick circuits for relay HD, thusinsuring that relay HD will not become energized as long as section C-Dis occupied. When the train passes out of section B-C, track relay R1again becomes energized. The closing of front contact 30--30a of thisrelay completes the circuit for relay HD under these conditions, andrelay HC therefore also becomes energized, so that signal FC nowindicates proceed. When the train passes out of section C-D, track relayR2 becomes energized. Since relay HC is then deenergized, the closing offront contact 30-30a of track relay R2 completes the circuit for relayHD including front contact 51 of relay HC, and relay HD now picks up.This causes signal FD to indicate proceed. The parts are then restoredto the positions in which they are illustrated in the drawings.

Referring now to Fig. 5, as here shown, the rails 46 and 46a of astretch J of railway track over which traic moves at times in bothdirections are divided by means of insulated joints a, to form two tracksections K-L and L M. Section K-L is connected with a siding N by meansof a switch P which is moved to normal and reverse positions by suitableoperating mechanism forming no part of my invention, and therefore notshown in the drawings. Operatively connected with the switch P is acircuit controller V, comprising a contact 63-63a which is closed whenand only when the switch P occupies its normal position in which it isillustrated in the drawings.

The track sections K-L and L M are each provided with the usual trackcircuit comprising, in the form here shown, the primary 47 oftransformer T connected across the rails at one end of the section and atrack relay Q, connected across the rails at the other end of thesection, the track relays for the two sections being designated Q1 andQ2, respectively.

Intersecting the stretch J at or near the junction of the sections K-Land L-M is a highway Z, and located at this intersection is a highwaycrossing signal W which, in the form here shown, is an electric bell.

The bell W is controlled by an interlocking relay U which may be of anysuitable type, such for example, as the relay illustrated in UnitedStates Letters Patent No. 799452, granted to W. W. Coleman on Sept. 12,1905. As here shown, the relay U comprises two magnets 64 and 65 whichcontrol two back contacts 66 and 67, respectively. If magnet 64 becomesdeenergized before magnet 65, back contact 66 will become closed,

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but it magnet 64 becomes deenergized subsequent to magnet 65, theinterlocking mechanism will prevent back contact 66 trom becomingclosed. Similarly, it magnet 65 becomes deenergized before magnet 64,back contact 67 will become closed, but it' magnet 65 "becomesdeenergized subsequent to maglnet64, the interlocking mechanism willpre- A-Vent back contact 67 from becoming closed.

vWhen contact 66 of relay U is closed, a circuit is completed for bell1W which passes trom-terminal X through contact 66 ot' relay Urand ytheoperating mechanism of bell Wto terminal Y. Similarly, when Contact 67of relay U is closed, another circuit is ycompleted for bell vW whichpasses from terminal X 'through Contact 67 of relay U and the operatingmechanism ot bell. il! toterminal Y. l/Vhen either of these circuits isclosed bell W will operate, thereby warning users of the highway that atrain is approaching along the railway.

Interlocking relay U, in turn, is controlled by the track relays Q1 andQ2, and by a relay R3 which is similar to the relay R described inconnection with Figs. l, 2 and 3. Magnet 65 of relay U is provided witha circuit which passes from terminal X through iront contact 68 of relayQ2 and the winding of magnet 65 to terminal Y. Magnet 64 of relay U issimilarly provided with a circuit which passes from terminal X throughwire 69, front contact 70 of relay Q11, wire 7l, the winding of magnet64, and wire 7 2 to terminal Y. Magnet 64 is also provide with anothercircuit which passes from terminal X through back contact 31-31a ofrelay R3, auxiliary Contact 34-35 of relay R3, wires 73 and 7l, thewinding of magnet 64, and wire 72 to terminal Y.

Relay R3 is controlled by contact 65E-63a of circuit controller V, thecircuit for this relay passing from terminal X through contact Gil-63aof circuit controller Y, wire 74, and the winding of relay R3 toterminal Y. It will be apparent therefore that this relay will beenergized when switch l occupies its normal position but that this relaywill become deenergized when the switch is moved to its reverseposition.

As shown in the drawings, sections lil-L and L M are both unoccupied sothat track relays Q1 and Q2 are both energized. The circuit tor magnet65 of relay U is therefore closed at front contact 68 of relay Q2, andthe one circuit for magnet 64 is likewise closed at front contact 70 ofrelay Q1, so that both magnets 64 and 65 of interlocking relay "U areenergized. Both circuits for bell W7 are therefore open, and bell lV isaccordingly deenergized. Switch P occupies its normal position, and thecircuit for relay R3 is therefore closed, so that relay R3 is energized.

I will now assume that a train moving from right to lett enters sectionL M. This causes track relay a? to become deenergized which in turndeenergizes magnet 65 of interlocking relay U. Back contact 67 of relayU therefore becomes closed and completes the circuit for bell lVincluding this contact, so that bell W starts to operate. l1] hen thetrain enters section l-ln, relay Q11 becomes deenergizeo and deenergizesmagnet 64 of relay U. Contact 66, however remains open under theseconditions due to the interlocking mechanism ot the relay. 3V hen thetrain has passed completely out of sectionL-M, relay Q2 again becomesenergized, thereby energizing magnet 65 and hence opening back contact67. rlhis interrupts the circuit which was previously closed tor bell Vfat this contact, and bell lV therefore stops operating. llhen the trainhas passed completely out ot section l-eL, relay Q11 again becomesenergized. This energizes magnet 64, and the parts are then restored tothe positions shown.

l/Yhen a. train moving from lett to right traverses the stretch ot trackJ, the operation f ot the apparatus will be exactly the reverse of thatjust described, and will be readily understood 'from an inspection otthe drawings without tracing the sequence ot operation in detail.

l will nent assume that it is desired to permit a train in siding N totraverse stretch J trom lett to right alter another train which itmoving from right to left has passed switch P but is still in sectionK--L Under these conditions, relay Q1 and magnet 65 will of course beenergized, but relayy Q1 and magnet 64 will be deenergized. Furthermore,since magnet 64 became deenergized after magnet 65, Contact 66 will beheld open by the interlocking mechanism of relay U, so

Vthat signal N will be silent. Relay R3 will be energized. In order topermit the'train rto enter stretch J, switch P must be reversed. VVhenthis is done, contact 63--63"L of circuit controller V is opened andrelay R3 therefore becomes deenergized. When relay R3 becomesdeenergized, there is a brief iterval of time after back contact l-lfbecomes closed before auxiliary contactY S34-35 becomes opened, andduring this interval of time the circuit for magnet 64 ot relay Uincluding these contacts is closed. lllagnet 64 therefore becomesenergized for sufficient interval of time to release the interlockingmechanism of relay U with the result that when magnet 64 subsequentlyagain becomes deenergized due to the opening oi' contact 34-35, backcontact 66 of relay U becomes closed. rlhis completes the circuit forbell lV including this contact and bell Wv starts to operate, therebywarning the users ot the highway that a train is approaching on therailway. When the train enters section L M, relay Q2 becomes deenergizedand deenergizes magnet 65 of interlocking 'relay U. Contact 67 remainsopen, however, under these conditions. When both trains have passedcompletely out of section K-L, track relay Q1 picks up and closes thecircuit for magnet 64 including front contact of relay Q2. Magnet 64therefore becomes energized, thus opening contact 66 and hence stoppingthe operation of bell WV. When the train which entered stretch J fromthe siding N has passed completely out of section If-M, relay Q2 picksup and en'ergizes magnet 65. The parts are then restored to thepositions which they normally occupy when switch P is in its reverseposition and sections K--L and If-M are both unoccupied.

Although I have herein shown and described only a few forms of railwaysignaling apparatus embodying my invention, it isunderstood that variouschanges and modifications may be made therein within the scope of theappended claims, without departing from the spirit and scope of myinvention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In. combination, two adjacent sections of railwa track, a trackcircuit for each track section including a track relay, one of saidtrack relays being provided in addition to the usual front and backcontacts with an auxiliary contact which becomes closed after the backcontacts of the relay have become opened when the relay becomesenergized and which subsequently remains closed when the relay becomesdeenergized until after the back ycontacts have become closed, a thirdrelay controlled in part by said one track relay, a stick relay, apick-up circuit for said stick relay including said auxiliary contactand a front contact of said one track rela as well as a back contact ofthe other trac relay, a stick circuit for said stick relay including aback contact of said third relay and a front contact of, said stickrelay; a fourth relay controlled by said other track relay, said stickrelay and said third relay; and signals for governing traiiic over saidtwo sections controlled by said third and fourth relays.

2. In combination, two adjacent sections of railway track, a trackcircuit for each track section including a track relay, one of saidtrack relays being provided in addition to the usual front and backcontacts with an auxiliary contact which becomes closed after the frontcontacts of the relay have become closed when the relay becomesenergized and which subsequently remains closed when the relay becomesdeenergized until after the back contacts have become closed, a thirdrelayl controlled in part by a front contact of said one track relay, astick relay, a pickup circuit for said stick relay including saidauxiliary contact and a back contact of said one trackrelay as well as aback contact of the other track relay, a. stick circuit for said stickrelay including a back contact of said third rela and a front contact ofsaid stick relay; a ourth relay, a first circuit'for said fourth relayincluding a front contact of said other track relay and a front contactof said third relay, a second circuit for said fourth relay including afront contact of said other relay and a front contact of said stickrelay; a first signal for governing tralic in one direction over thesection with which said one track relay is associated controlled by saidthird relay, and a second signal for governing traiiic over the othersection in the same direction as said first signal governs trailiccontrolled by said fourth relay.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature.

DANIEL W. RICHARDS.

